


Custos

by Pongo0614



Series: Changes [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-07 15:59:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16411553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pongo0614/pseuds/Pongo0614
Summary: Peace is starting to crumble and with the Druids disappearing, they all hope that a new addition is a good sign. Story 8 of Changes.





	Custos

**Custos**

There was a lot to be worried about but Gorlois felt rather at ease as they chatted idly to his father. They had both been put onto the patrol due to magically activity near the border with Essitir. It was one of many that they had been noticing over the last few months and even Isedir had warned both his father and uncle that Lot was on the move and the druid population was falling due to a number of disappearances. The decision to open Camelot up to the Druids to try and keep them away from the border wasn't a hard one to make and they had tried to encouraged the other kingdoms to do the same.

Yet it still wasn't enough and not long after his warning, Isedir had gone missing.

Gorlois knew the danger of Isedir being captured due to what happened at the Green Chapel and Bernlak. The axe that he had used on Gwaine was sent to Camelot, Harry being the unfortunate one to bring it, covered in blood. His uncle had offered to keep Harry in Camelot but he refused. He was told to give the axe to Camelot as a warning. After that Gorlois had to explain what he had worked out to his parents. He had also asked why he was called Dreng but his parents had much of an idea as him. His mother had been reluctant but did allow Gorlois out on patrols. They needed to keep everything looking normal to Lot.

But as they left, more people flowed into the city. They were getting ready for war and the people were either looking for shelter away from the fighting or to join them.

Merlin brought his horse from a trot to a gentle walk, signalling Gorlois to do the same.

"We are too close to the border for my liking. Crossing it will be an act of war."

"You did it once," Gorlois said.

"Yes, but I didn't have the position I have now. Anyway, Camelot and Esstir were at some sort of peace and Cenred didn't care as much as Lot does."

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the forest.

"I do believe that Ealdor is half a day from here." His father said.

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes it does feel like Camelot is chocking me but I wouldn't change it for the world."

Gorlois knew his father could always be honest with him. Sometimes they just understood each other with only a few words or a gesture. Gorlois knew he would be lost without him as his father would be lost without him. They would both be lost without any of his siblings and cousins.

Gorlois got out the map they had left with. "If you are correct, then we need to be a little more north."

Merlin nodded before following his son.

* * *

Merlin could tell that Gorlois was trying hard not to gag but the smell of burnt flesh grew unbearable as they entered the camp. Merlin was having a hard time too not to let his emotions take over. 

"Why would someone do something like this?" Merlin said, kicking at the embers. "How could someone be so heartless in kill all these people?"

Merlin tried to calm down but his anger was boiling. These were his people. They believed that he was their saviour and it seems like more and more of them have died of the last few years than when Merlin was in Camelot under Uther. He could start to blame himself. He was the one to tell them that they were free. Technically where they were, they are free.

"Because they were keeping something from them and they knew it."

Merlin turned from his thoughts to his son. "What do you mean?"

Gorlois dusted off the soot and dug it out of the remains of a box. "I do hope that it is what I think it is."

Merlin was lost for words as he saw what was now in Gorlois' hands. "I thought Aithusa was the last dragon egg."

Merlin walked up and took the egg from him, cradling it against his chest as if it was a child.

"Maybe when the purge happened, someone tried to round up as many eggs as possible. There could be more."

"Also with all the Dragonlords gone, save my father, there was no one to call them from their eggs." Merlin's eyes widened with realisation. "If there are more, that means that Killgharrah and Aithusa aren't the last of their kind. Dragons can rule the skies once more."

They smiled widely at each other.

"And if an egg can survive fire, then maybe they are more durable than people imagined."

"I just cannot believe it," Merlin said, looking down at the egg.

"This is what they died for."

Merlin nodded, silently thanking their souls for protecting it. 

Their attention was diverted as the horses shot off. They looked at each other before trying to catch them.

* * *

It was a long walk back to Camelot.

They had managed to send a note ahead, asking for everyone to meet them in the clearing east of Camelot. Merlin smiled as they emerged from the trees, seeing nearly everyone there.

"Where are Arthur and Gareth?" He asked once they had reached them.

"Arthur said that you would only want us for a trivial thing," Gwen explained. "Said that he and Gareth had more important things to do."

"He wanted to come." Isobel said, latching herself onto her father's leg. "Gareth that is."

Merlin smiled down at her while stroking her hair. "Well they are the ones going to miss out aren't they?"

Merlin looked towards his wife. He noted the colour of her dress.

"That dress is most fitting."

Morgana gave him a confused look. "Come on Merlin. Please tell us why you wanted us here."

Merlin could tell that Morgana was annoyed but excited at the same time. Gorlois held open the bag for him to reveal its contents.

"Please tell me that is what I think it is." Morgana breathed.

She walked forward and took it out of his hands. He was right in what he had said about her dress. The egg was a forest green and almost blended into her. Merlin could tell that she didn't know what she expected from touching it and found the shell rough in her hands when it looked as though it would be smooth.

"A dragon egg. We found it in the ruins of the camp." Gorlois explained.

"Do you think there could be more?" Clarine said, looking towards her cousin and best friend.

"I hope so." He said, smiling at her.

"Just wondering but when will it hatch?" Gwen asked.

Merlin smiled. "Always asking the practical questions. It will hatch when I name it."

"I'm guessing you were going to call Aithusa." Morgana said, managing to pull her eyes away from the egg.

"Of course. We might be the last of the dragonlords but they might not be the last of the dragons. Anyway, this little one will need guidance."

Merlin called Killgharrah and Aithusa before taking the egg back and placing it on the ground.

"My, my dear warlock, a family affair. I trust you have called us for a good reason." Killgharrah said, once he had landed.

Merlin sighed at the older dragon. He seemed to have less patience every time he called him. 

"I thought it was something everyone needed to see. It is a bit of an once-in-a-lifetime … event."

Killgharrah glared down at Merlin, obviously not liking him being so cryptic.

"Look Killgharrah, there are more."

"More?" The older dragon said, looking at the younger one.

"They have found another egg." Aithusa gave them something that resembled a smile.

Killgharrah looked down. "So they have."

"See once-in-a-lifetime event." Merlin said. "Could be the last one."

Killgharrah nodded towards Merlin. Everyone fell into a comfortable silence as Merlin closed his eyes.

"Custos." Merlin said, his voice low.

Merlin would admit that he forgot what it felt like to call Aithusa from her shell and there was this weird feeling that rose up in him as the egg began to hatch. Everyone else had taken a step forward to watch as the shell fell away to reveal a small dragon, the same colour as the egg and it was then that Merlin pinpointed the feeling. He had just become a father again. Merlin smiled as the newly born dragon started to churp.

"Guardian." He said. He could just feel the way that everyone's eyes were on him. "His name means guardian." He explained.

The twins moved to kneel in front of the dragon and Morgana followed them down.

"Maldue wants to know why that name." Isobel said.

Merlin looked at Morgana and knew that she had the same worried expression that he had whenever Isobel spoke for Maldue. He was ten and still hadn't spoken a word. Isobel speaks to him with mind speak and does enough talking for the both of them anyway. Merlin has been told by many people that his son is mute but he doesn't believe them. Maldue will speak one day. He knows he will.

"It just feels right. That is the name that called him out of his egg. No dragon's birth is without meaning."

"He will be the guardian of Camelot." Morgana said. "Aithusa means light of the sun. Her birth represented that land that we have made."

Morgana held her hand out and Custos knocked it with his head, as if he wanted to be stroked.

There was this small part of Merlin that wondered whether this dragon would be more than just Camelot's guardian, or that Morgana hoped that it would be more than just Camelot's. He couldn't help but worry about his wife and with everything that happened recently, he didn't know how much she was to blame or whether he could just blame it all on Morgause and her hindsight. Something must have happened to Morgana when Morgause saved her from the poison. Merlin thought that she was all but alive in his arms when Morgause pulled her out of them. All he knew was that this next battle, the next chapter in their fight for freedom, was going to test them all and the last thing they needed was Morgana turning on them again.

"Father, can I look after him?" Aithusa asked.

Merlin smiled. He had always loved that Aithusa saw him as a father. It made being a dragonlord even more special. He nodded. "As long as that is alright with Killgharrah."

The great dragon huffed before taking off.

"Not much of a talker is he?" Amhar said.

"Well he, father and mother have never seen eye to eye, have they?" Lynette said.

Merlin shook his head. "Maybe we should be getting back now. Tell Arthur and Gareth what they have missed."

* * *

To say that Gareth wasn't impressed when he found out what he missed was an understatement. He moaned constantly and refused to speak to Arthur for a week.

"I don't want to be King if I miss out on amazing things like that."

Amhar turned to his brother. "Well, I don't want to be King. It looks so boring."

Arthur shook his head. "Unfortunately you don't have a choice. You should have said, Merlin."

"Why? I wanted it to be a surprise." Merlin retorted. "Anyway, why would you think it was trivial?"

Arthur shrugged. "I thought you had found a rare flower or something girly like that."

"Why would I ask you to come to a clearing for that? And you call me the idiot."

They fell into silence.

"If it's any consolation, I wouldn't mind being Queen," Clarine said.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how many of you will read this but hey, I want to add it to the end.
> 
> I am going to take a little break from uploading for just a little bit. I want to get ahead of myself and taking a break from the other stuff that I do, didn't do anything to help me out other than make me frustrated that for the beginning of the week it was working but wasn't by the end of the week.   
> Admittingly I am taking a longer break from this (a week and a half), but hopefully this way I can make it so I can get a chapter out to you every day. I spent so long building this world and it is only fair that it gets the rewrite that it deserves. I will be back with To Kill a King on 19th November as well a new Merlin story. 
> 
> Till then you can just keep re-reading what I have already posted.


End file.
